Island



(N Model.)

. B. ARNULD. BICYCLE GUIDING STEM.

10.578,186. PatentedfMar. 2, 1897.'

Wl THE SSE S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN ARNOLD, OF EAST GREENXVIOH, RHODE ISLAND.

BICYCLE GUlDlNG-STEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,186, dated March 2, 1897.

Application iiled November 9, 1896. Serial No. 611,439. (No model.)

To all whom it mcar/ concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ARNOLD, of East Greenwich, in the county of Kent and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycle Guiding-Stems and the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

This invention is intended, mainly, for bicycles, with the obj ect of preventing the front or guide wheel from turning or being turned laterally from any cause except an impulse given through the handle-bars, so that when the wheel is turned laterally in any direction by the handle-bars it will stay in that position until turned from it by means of the handle-bars. It is fully explained and illustrated in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Figure l shows a side elevation of the device with portions of the fork-stem and outer tube. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of a part of a bicycle, showing the position of the device on the front frame-tube. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device, taken through the center on line x in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the parts, taken on line z z in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top view of the head or block on the upper end of the fork portion of the stem. Fig. Gis a view of the under side of the plate fast on the lower end of the handle-bar part of the stem. Figs. 7 and 8 show, respectively, in perspective one of the rolls and one of the springs used.

The construction and operation of the device are as follows:

The usual handle -bar stem, having the wheel-fork on its lower end, is divided into two parts, one, A, having the handle-bars C on its upper end, and a lower part of the stem D, with the wheel-fork B on its lower end. A head-block H is made fast to the upper end of the stem D, and a plate or head F is secured to the lower end of the stem A. J is a tubular case having a hole in its lower part to t on the tube R, to which it is made fast. It has a chamber made in its upper end, into which the head H is fitted to turn easily, and the chamber is made deep enough to receive both the head II and the plate F, attached to the upper stem A. A cap L has a hole bored in its upper end to lit on the upper tube R', to which it is made fast, and its lower end is chambered to tit over the upper portion of the cup J, to which it is made fast by means of screws e e, that screw into the cup J.

A top view of the head H is seen in Figs. 4 and 5. It is recessed out on three sides to form projections a a a. The recesses are made semicircular at their ends, and the bottoms s s are not formed on a circle made from the center of the head; but each is made on two curves made on separate centers, so as to make the middle of the bottom of the recessV farther from the center of the head than at the end of the recess, which makes the bottoms of the recesses cam-shaped, sloping t0- ward the center of the head from the middle i to the projections a.

Two rolls n n', just alike every way, (see Fig. 7,) are fitted in each recess to turn freely in the ends of the recesses close to the projections a when the head H is in the chamber of the part J but owing to the cam' shaped rise in the bottom of each recess in its middle the rolls when pushed from the projections toward the centers 7,' of the recesses will wedge between the bottom of the recesses and the inside of the chamber around them.

A horizontal hole o is bored through each projection a to receive an open spiral spring r, one end of which bears against one roll n on one side of the projection and its other end bears against the roll n on the other side of the projection to hold each two rolls in contact with the bottom of the recesses and the inside of the chamber, so that if the head H is turned in the direction of the arrow c the rolls n will wedge and stop it, and if it is turned in the opposite direction the rolls n will wedge in the same waybetween the rises in the recesses and the side of the chamber and stop its turning. From this it can be easily seen that the stem D and head H cannot be turned from below by the wheel.

To enable one to turn the wheel by the handle-bars, as usual, a plate F is made fast to the lower end of the stem A and has three studs 71, h h projecting down from its inner side. These studs are made just wide enough IOO to t in between each two rolls n 'n' when the rolls are pushed as far in toward the middle as the springs 7' can move them. Then when the plate F is turned by the handle-bars in the direction indicated by the arrow c each stud h will press each roll 'n against one of y the projections d and turn the head H in that direction freely, as the studs hold the rolls n from wedging, as before described, and stopping the motion. The head H and wheel will turn just so far as the handle-bars push them and no farther, for the instant the head .at-

tempts to go faster or farther than the handle-bars the studs hwill hold back and allow the rolls n to chock the head and prevent it from turning. If the handle-bars are turned in the opposite direction, the studs h will -operate with the rolls n in the same way as dei scribed with the rolls n.

There are three sets of the-studs, rolls, and

projections shown in the drawings, but one recess only, with its two rolls and stud, will fulfil-the conditions and operate as described.

More are kadded for the purpose of increasing the strength and durability of the vmechanv cable to other classes of machinery where the object to be attained is the same.

Having thus described my improvements, I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An apparatus composed of the following members: a divided stem or shaft, a stationary tube to receive said stem, a head made fast Ato the end of one division of lsaid stem, and having a recess made in its periphery the bottom of the recess sloping in toward the center of the head from its middle to the ends of the recess, a case attached to the stationary tube and having achamber in its end to receive said head, two rolls made to turn freely in 'the ends of said recess when the head is in said chamber, springs to press said rolls from the ends of the recess, a plate made fast tothe end of the .other division of the stem, and having astud in its face tted to just go between said rolls, ,a cap covering said plate and secured t0 the .case aforesaid, substantially as described.

2. The combination-of the parts-of thestem A D, tube R and caseJfast thereon, a capL secured .to the caseJ head H :fast on the'stem D, rolls ny n' held in a recess in said head, springs r bearing on lsaid rolls, plate F with stud h, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of November, A. D. 1896.

BENJAMIN ARNOLD.

In presence yof- J AMES W. RICHARDSON, CHARLES J. FOSKETT, 

